Importing Microsoft Office Project or Primavera Project Planner Into Navisworks

Workflow for how to import a schedule from Project or Primavera into Navisworks for "Timeliner" tool


Process

  1. Create a schedule in Microsoft Project or Primavera and save the schedule
  2. Open the Navisworks file you wish to import the schedule into
  3. Under the "TimeLiner" tab, right-click and select "Add Task"
  4. Under the "Links" tap in the TimeLiner, right-click and "Add Link" ; choose the type of schedule to be imported (Project or Primavera)
  5. When the link is selected, right-click on the link and select "Rebuild Task Hierarchy from Link." Now the schedule should be listed under the Tasks tab.
  6. Link the appropriate elements of the model to their respective parts of the schedule (i.e. beams become linked to "Beams" on the schedule)

Lessons Learned

  • Sometimes the schedule does not rebuild when imported into TimeLiner. Clicking again may solve the problem or closing and re-opening Navisworks may also be a solution. If neither works, try a different computer.
  • The schedule can be changed in Project or Primavera and re-saved, then select "Rebuild Task Hierarchy from Link" again to update the TimeLiner schedule.
  • When appropriately linked, the TimeLiner can be used to simulate the models construction. If scheduling or sequencing problems with the model or schedule arise, the schedule can be modified and reloaded into Navisworks.

References

Microsoft Office Project 2007
Primavera Project Planner
Autodesk Revit Architecture 2009
Autodesk Revit MEP 2009
Autodesk Revit Structure 2009
Autodesk Navisworks Manage 2009

Acknowledgments

Dr. John Messner
Associate Professor of Architectural Engineering, CM Option

Ralph Kreider
Teaching Assistant